The Abia State Government has unfolded plans to break into the world market with Made-in-Aba products, using the Chinese model.

The State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who disclosed this also stressed that Abia would work hard to get American endorsement for its locally-made products as a key to breaking into the world market.

“It will be good for us. Not only in terms of aggregate purchase or take-away from our pool but the mere endorsement that America has come to say that what we do in Abia State is good for their market is what we need to reach the world. And I hope to see this happen in our time,” Ikpeazu said while receiving the National President of Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), Chief Olabitan Famutimi, at his guest house in Aba, Monday.

The Governor, however, noted that the same magic China used to break into the world market would be good enough to launch Abia products into the world market.

He said that Abia has established a Quality and Assurance Management Agency which would collaborate with other standards-regulating agencies in Nigeria and the world to improve the quality of locally-made goods.

The Governor disclosed that the state was exporting over one million pairs of shoes, bags and other leather products to parts of Africa weekly with about one million people working in the sector.

According to him, the quantity of products from the sector is huge. He expressed hope that Abia would leverage the opportunities provided by the NACC to cope with demands, in addition to establishing a Free Trade Zone to take care of export needs.

“As I speak with you today, the Abia State delegation to Singapore has left the shores of Nigeria to come back with the final design of our Free Trade Zone which will occupy 9,000 hectares of land being already acquired between Abia and Port Harcourt.

“The idea is to ensure that the economies of Abia and Port Harcourt in the next 10 years are united,” he said.

Earlier, the National President of NACC, Chief Olabitan Famutimi said they were in Abia State to help the state promote Made-in-Aba products.

Famutimi said that African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) has signed an MOU with the Chamber to represent them in West Africa, adding that they want to give Abia all the business opportunities it could enjoy through NACC.

He said that the Chamber was going to set up an AGOA desk in Abia State to be manned by a Desk Officer, and canvassed for Free Trade Zones or AGOA Parks to be established in all states of Nigeria to improve products processing for export to reduce the rate at which Nigerian exports are returned.

He said that his organisation would want the Governor to sign an MOU with it to ensure Abia’s continued relationship with the Chamber, adding that NACC would present its charter to the Abia Chapter of NACC soon.

Update news